Lady Bao’s face stiffened. Beside her, Lady Gu also said, “Yan’er has made no mistakes since marrying into our family, nor has she been contradictory.”
With this statement, Lady Bao’s reputation for being harsh to concubine-born daughters was solidified by her own actions.
Lady Shen stood there with a rigid face, not knowing what to say. Finally, Shen Guiya beside her spoke up. “Since Concubine Qin’s spirit tablet is missing, then let’s all search for it. Since Mother suspects Fourth Sister-in-law, there’s no harm in searching the North Courtyard.”
“If we’re to search the North Courtyard, why not search the entire Prime Minister’s residence together?” Shen Guiyan raised her head to look at Prime Minister Gu. “Yesterday, Yan’er was in the residence and didn’t step out once. I even paid respects to Mother-in-law and attended the evening meal. Under such circumstances, if Mother can say that Yan’er stole the spirit tablet, then everyone under heaven could possibly have stolen it.”
Prime Minister Gu had little favorable opinion of this Lady Bao to begin with. Coming to the Prime Minister’s residence to make a scene so early in the morning, and now Shen Guiya was even helping to suggest searching the North Courtyard.
Although the North Courtyard was Guiyan’s residence, it was still within the Prime Minister’s residence. How could the dignified Prime Minister’s residence allow a mere Assistant Minister’s wife to search it? Calling her an in-law was already giving her face—who would have thought she’d push her luck like this?
Prime Minister Gu’s expression was unpleasant. Lady Gu had always been skilled at reading expressions and followed suit with a stern face. “Yan’er indeed came to dine with me yesterday evening. I wonder if my in-law has any evidence for claiming Yan’er stole the spirit tablet? The Prime Minister’s official residence is not a place you can search just because you say so!”
This statement was equivalent to slapping Shen Guiya’s face, making it burn. Usually in television dramas, when something went missing, didn’t they search? Who knew they couldn’t do that here?
Ancient rules were truly troublesome.
Lady Bao finally understood the situation—Shen Guiyan was actually quite favored in the Prime Minister’s residence, her position even more secure than her own Ya’er’s? They couldn’t touch her in the slightest.
Having grasped the situation, Lady Shen’s anger subsided. She pressed her lips together. “Indeed, there’s no real evidence. Perhaps I’ve overthought it.”
“Then report this matter to the magistrate’s office and let them investigate,” Prime Minister Gu said.
Lady Shen snorted lightly and said sullenly, “No need to investigate. We probably won’t find anything anyway. Let’s just forget it.”
“Forget it?” Shen Guiyan turned her head, her eyes wide. “Yan’er’s birth mother, who is also Second Brother’s birth mother, died under unclear circumstances—that’s one thing. Now her spirit tablet has gone missing under unclear circumstances, and Mother still doesn’t intend to give Yan’er an explanation?”
“What explanation should I give you?” Lady Shen said angrily. “I am the elder, you are the junior. Is this how you speak to elders?”
She then turned to look at those in the seats of honor. “In-laws, look at this—this is what contradicting means!”
Xu Mengdie, standing to the side, said softly, “A daughter merely asks about her birth mother’s spirit tablet’s whereabouts, seeking an explanation—and this too counts as contradiction? I hadn’t realized the Shen residence’s rules were even stricter than the Prime Minister’s residence.”
Lady Shen turned her head angrily and glared at Xu Mengdie. Not recognizing who she was but seeing her simple dress, she rebuked, “Is it your place to speak?”
Lady Liu beside her was displeased and spoke up. “No peace so early in the morning. The Shen residence loses something and comes to the Prime Minister’s residence to find it. Finding it would be one thing, but to speak so insolently—Lady Shen truly has great airs.”
Bao Shilan was truly foolish, not understanding whose territory this was. Offending people everywhere, she hadn’t even touched Shen Guiyan yet but had already made enemies on all sides.
Shen Guiya cursed inwardly at this pig-like teammate and said helplessly, “Let’s leave this matter to the magistrate’s office. Why must Mother worry so much about it?”
Lady Shen panicked. How could such a matter be left to outsiders? The magistrate’s office wouldn’t dare investigate the Prime Minister’s residence either—wouldn’t this be letting Shen Guiyan off the hook?
But now, she had no way out. The Prime Minister and Lady Gu above showed no intention of helping her, and Guiya seemed powerless as well.
Trying to steal a chicken but losing the rice instead, she’d also provided entertainment for the two concubines who’d come along.
Bao Shilan’s face remained rigid for quite a while before she rose. “Very well, I’ll return home and have the magistrate’s office handle it.”
“Much obliged, Mother. Yan’er will certainly have someone monitor this matter closely,” Shen Guiyan said with a nod. “We absolutely cannot let the wrongdoer go unpunished.”
Lady Shen glared at her fiercely. Without saying much more to Prime Minister Gu and his wife, she turned and stormed away angrily.
“No manners,” Lady Gu muttered with a stern face.
Shen Guiya heard this and felt annoyed as well. Glancing at Shen Guiyan beside her, who remained composed and unruffled, she secretly gritted her teeth.
As Bao Shilan was leaving the residence, Shen Guiyan and Shen Guiya naturally followed to see her off. After sending the servants far away, Bao Shilan turned and raised her hand to slap Shen Guiyan.
Shen Guiyan raised her hand to block it, applying force and instead causing Lady Bao pain.
“You insolent girl!” Lady Bao was furious. “How dare you!”
“So what if I dare?” Shen Guiyan raised her head to meet her eyes, smiling faintly. “Mother can always go back and report me.”
“You!” Bao Shilan angrily flung her hand away, trembling as she said, “Now that there’s no one around, you dare contradict me again, don’t you?”
Shen Guiyan laughed softly. “If Mother would do fewer shameful deeds, Yan’er would naturally be filial to you for a lifetime.”
Lady Bao’s expression changed slightly. “What shameful deeds? What are you talking about?”
“Nothing. Mother should return home early,” Shen Guiyan said, walking past her toward the residence gate. “Good and evil will eventually be repaid. Mother can slowly watch and see what becomes of those who harm others.”
Shen Guiya frowned slightly, then sneered. “Do you truly believe you can cover the sky with one hand in this Prime Minister’s residence?”
“What if I can’t cover the sky?” Shen Guiyan said mildly. “Being able to accomplish what I want to accomplish is enough.”
Bao Shilan trembled with anger. “This little wretch… truly as lowly as her mother!”
“Mother, why be so anxious?” Shen Guiya took Lady Bao’s hand, her eyes cold. “Look at her—she’s always so unhurried, yet hasn’t she accomplished everything she needed to? We should learn from her.”
Wasn’t Shen Guiyan learning from her? Remembering the preferences of those in the residence, knowing how to please the Prime Minister and his wife, steadying her footing step by step. Appearing to do nothing, yet today hadn’t she won so naturally?
However, there were always things she couldn’t learn. Shen Guiya sneered—modern things, let’s see how she learns those.
Walking to the Prime Minister’s residence gate, the outside was filled with a crowd of people. Seeing Lady Shen emerge, they all began discussing among themselves.
“Running to her daughter’s marital home to complain like that—what kind of mother does that? Others help their own daughters, but she can’t wait for the Fourth Young Madam to suffer.”
“Such vicious heart. In the future, don’t send your daughters to the Shen residence—they’d encounter such an evil mistress.”
The sound of discussion was everywhere. Lady Shen grew even angrier listening. She had never been one to control her temper, and being pointed at and criticized by these refugees and commoners, how could she endure it?
“Fine! You found a bunch of filthy creatures to back you up, thinking yourself so impressive?” Lady Shen laughed in extreme anger, looking at Shen Guiyan. “Just you wait. If I can’t touch you, can’t I deal with these things that deserve to die?”
“Ptui!” Another refugee spat at her, landing right on her face. Bao Shilan screamed and immediately boarded the carriage. “Notify the magistrate’s office! Tell them the Shen residence says so! Arrest these violent mobs!”
“Yes!” A family guard responded and tried to leave but was blocked by refugees.
The Prime Minister’s residence gate immediately became clamorous. Shen Guiyan quickly instructed Baoshan, “Hurry and find people to help stop them and disperse the crowd. Commoners cannot fight officials—if this continues, there will be dire consequences.”
Ancient commoners’ lives were so cheap—one only needed to recall how National Uncle Wen had toyed with refugees’ lives to know. No matter what, Lady Shen was still a court-appointed noblewoman. Speaking idle criticism was acceptable, but if she were truly provoked, Shen Guiyan feared she couldn’t protect these refugees.
Baoshan quickly found family guards to desperately hold back the refugees. But more and more people kept arriving—there was simply no way to stop them.
Shen Guiyan frowned and saw in the distance that soldiers had already arrived. With such a commotion near an official residence, there was no need for family guards to notify them.
“Spitting? Let them spit more!” Bao Shilan saw the soldiers and regained her confidence. “Arrest all these people and cut out their tongues first. I want to see how they’ll spit then!”
“Yes!” The soldiers immediately suppressed the refugees. The old man who had just spat was seized by two soldiers. The outside instantly quieted considerably.
“Mother,” Shen Guiyan frowned. “You are the dignified wife of an Assistant Minister. Why make things difficult for commoners?”
Bao Shilan, seeing that things were now safe, got out of the carriage again, so angry her eyes were red. “You know I’m the dignified wife of an Assistant Minister? Being spat on in the face by lowly commoners—should I just endure it? Cut out his tongue!”
The capital magistrate’s office had some connections with Lord Shen, and there was no shortage of those who curried favor with the powerful. Hearing these words, they immediately said, “Madam, please calm your anger. We will certainly throw all these lowly commoners into prison—not one will have an easy time.”
Over there, someone had already brought rope and was tying up the refugees in a string. Shen Guiyan stepped forward to block Lady Shen. “Mother had best heed Yan’er’s advice. Refugees are still people, each with a human life. If Mother is so tyrannical, treating human lives as nothing, there will certainly be retribution.”
“Retribution?” Lady Shen sneered. “In this world today, officials are above and commoners below. For inferiors to offend superiors—I punish them according to reason. What retribution could there be? Only you would think these lowly commoners need to be appeased. I’ll show you now—no matter how many helpers you have, the prison can hold them all!”
“Take them away!”
Some of the refugees scattered, but dozens still stood in place without moving. All were bound up. Shen Guiyan frowned. Unable to stop them, she could only turn back toward the residence.
Gu Chaobei probably hadn’t risen yet, had he? These refugees were ultimately implicated because of her—she couldn’t just let them all be imprisoned like this. Prime Minister Gu had already been displeased earlier, so going to trouble him with this matter now would be highly inappropriate. The only person she could think of was to discuss it with Gu Chaobei.
The North Courtyard was still completely quiet. It seemed Jiang Shi hadn’t risen either. Shen Guiyan lifted her skirt and went directly to Jiang Shi’s room.
“Husband,” Shen Guiyan said upon entering, standing at the partition without daring to go in and look. “Your wife has urgent business. Please rise quickly.”